E&OE..................
Well thank you very much Lisa. Mr Gary Humphries, my parliamentary colleagues, Archbishop Hollingworth, ladies and gentlemen.
The 'Honouring Women' Initiative is a recognition that despite the unbelievable contribution made to Australian life by Australian women, in many of the awards that are given for outstanding service by Australians and many of the other forms of recognition, the ranks of women are not as well represented as might be the case. This is particularly so in relation to awards under the Order of Australia.
It is not because, let me hasten to say, any conscious act of discrimination or indifference. Rather it is because in proportionate terms the number of nominations put forward of women is nowhere near as great as is the case in relation to men. And so the 'Honouring Women' Initiative is designed through the recruitment of thirty very well known and very successful Australian women, thirty ambassadors to go throughout the community, to draw attention to the ways in which there could be more recognition and honouring afforded to women.
And in launching this initiative this afternoon I am inviting to the stage four people, all of whom have achieved very great distinction in Australian life. Two of them, Dame Margaret Guilfoyle and Joan Kirner have agreed to co-chair the initiative and the other two, the Chairman of the Australia Day Council, Lisa Curry-Kenny and Professor Freda Briggs, the Senior Australian of the Year, are also very well known and much admired for their very special contributions to Australian life.
So if I could invite Dame Margaret Guilfoyle, Mrs Joan Kirner, Professor Briggs to join Lisa Curry-Kenny on the stage to assist me in launching this initiative.
Thank you.
Now I am going to present a pin which marks the initiative to each of the very fine and very prominent Australians who've agreed to take part in this very important initiative.
Thank you.
[Ends]